Public Inquiry : A favorable opinion with no reservations
The public inquiry for the EMME project, held from December 15, 2025, to January 15, 2026, has now concluded. Following this key regulatory milestone, the independent inquiry commission has issued a favorable opinion with no reservations, marking an important step forward in the project's development.
What is a public inquiry?
A public inquiry forms part of the environmental permitting process. It gives members of the public the opportunity to review the project's non-confidential documentation, ask questions to the inquiry commissioners, and submit comments or opinions.
For the EMME project, the inquiry was conducted by an independent commission of three inquiry commissioners appointed by the Administrative Court. Their role was to examine the project's regulatory documentation, review all comments submitted during the consultation, and issue a reasoned opinion. The commission may issue a favorable opinion, a favorable opinion with reservations, or an unfavorable opinion.
Following a comprehensive review of the project's technical and environmental documentation, the public's comments, and EMME's responses, the commission issued a favorable opinion with no reservations.
An open and transparent consultation process
The public inquiry was announced through the press and remained open to everyone for one month.
Project documentation was made available both online and in print.
Fourteen public consultation sessions were held across the municipalities of Parempuyre, Blanquefort, and Saint-Louis-de-Montferrand, providing opportunities for direct dialogue between local residents and the inquiry commissioners.
Comments could be submitted by post ; by email or online through the official public inquiry website; or via the consultation registers available during the public sessions.
A Strong endorsement of the project
The commission's favorable opinion without reservations reflects:
Compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements;
Careful consideration of environmental issues;
The project's technical robustness and alignment with the local area; and
The quality and completeness of EMME's responses to the questions raised.
In its report, the commission praised "the quality of the documentation submitted." It noted: "EMME has submitted a particularly comprehensive application, clearly demonstrating the project's importance for French industry while providing strong assurances regarding environmental protection. The proposed measures go beyond current regulatory requirements. The application also demonstrates that safety aspects associated with the construction of a high-tier Seveso facility in a flood-prone area have been fully addressed. Furthermore, the commission highlights EMME's ongoing commitment to keeping the public well informed and to minimizing, as far as possible, the inconvenience and disruption associated with the construction works."
This favorable opinion validates the extensive preparatory work carried out to date and confirms that the project meets the requirements of the environmental permitting process.
What comes next?
The commission's favorable opinion without reservations allows the administrative permitting process to move forward toward the issuance of the required authorizations and the next stages of project implementation.
The EMME project has now reached a significant milestone, receiving official confirmation of both its regulatory compliance and the strength of its overall approach.
We would like to thank everyone who took part in the public inquiry. Their engagement and constructive feedback contributed to this important stage in the project's development.
